This invention relates to an apparatus and method of moving materials and especially but not exclusively an apparatus and method of moving metal, for example scrap metal between the blades of a metal shearing machine.
A known and commonly used method is to oscillate a flat tray on which the material is supported, the rapid movement of which reduces the effect of friction between the tray and material carried on it. Travel can then be easily induced by, for example, inclining the tray in the required direction.
An alternative known method of causing directional travel is to arrange that the oscillation in the direction of travel is less severe than that in the reverse direction. The effect is that forward movement carries the material forward and if the reverse movement is sufficiently severe the material is not carried back, so causing a net forward movement. This effect has been achieved in the past by driving the conveyor tray by eccentric crackshafts. The oscillating conveyor, although a preferred method for moving many materials has major disadvantages. Owing to indiscriminate movement of the material caused by the oscillations the system is noisy, inefficient in energy useage, unpredictable in operation, and slow.